Alarm system



-Aug. 2, 1927- sOLODAR ALARM SYSTEM Filed Nov. 1, 1924 2 Shets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Sm/10a Sammie Y B 5 ATTORNEY Aug. 2,1927. 1,637,396

$- SQLODAR ALARM SYSTEM Filed Nov. 1. 1924 2 sheets-sheet 2 Flllllilll INVENTOR ar/Emu 4o of the sameapparatus, the section being Patented Aug. 2, 1927.

sanonnsononan; or. NEWYoR'xjiI. Y.

, 1 ALARM SYSTEM."

App'lication'filed November 1, 1924: SeriarNo'. 7475259;

i tlhis'invention relates to alarm systems and particularly to alarm systems tor .bus1- ness placesand'the like, by which the assist an improved alarmxsystem a ndyparts thereof which may be set in operation by theproanceot police or firemen may be summoned 1n the event of need. "It is especial'lyapplicable to the calling of police incases of h oldupsin business places.

An object of the invent on 1s topprovid'e 'prietor or his assistant in a manner likely to be unobserved bya bandit, which may be set in operation without the "use of handsor feet,'and which is relatively simple, effective and inexpensive. vide an alarm system zthe operativeness of which may be tested whenever desired with5 out the summoning of police or firemen. A

l urther object is to provide an alarm system which will audibly and visibly summon aid and which will also frighten the bandit or 'unnerve him. A further object is to :pro-

vide a system for accomplishing the above objects in wliichthe parts w ill'inotfbe likely to get out oforder. 7 y 'T Various other objects and advantages will be apparent from the "following description ofanembodiment of the invention, and the novel features will be pointed out here matter in the appended claims. t In the accompanying drawingsfFigure l a sectional plan of a business place, such as=a store, in which an alarm system FllilS been incorporated in accordance with this'invenition. I i 1 I Fig. 2 is a sectional plan' through a portion of theapparatus utilized in the system and illustrating the wiring connections therefor. j i Fig.i3 is a sectional elevation of aportion taken approximately along the line of ig.2 and "Fig. t is part ofthe Fig.2. i I I In the illustrated embodiment of-the'invention, the business place'is located within the side walls 1 and'Q the rearendnallZ'] and the front or showlwindow luit being understood that the usual entrance way5 is 'closed 'by the usual doortisimilar to the door generally used in shops or places of busi- "ness. lVithin the shop the counters 7 may asectional elevation through one apparatus shown generally in be arranged in any desired order, and back "ofthe counters there isa false wall or shelving arrangement'8 upon and'in which} the goods to be s/old may be stored for display purposes or .for the convenience of the sales people. .The'business p'lacemay also be pro- ;Vided with a, rear room 9 from whicha stairway 10 may .leadto the basement. Within the businessfplace, in any suitablefllocation such .aswithin a=compartment 11, I have located a partot the apparatus utilized in the system- In th-is compartment I provide a suitable tank or container 12' for a supply ,ofzcompressed air or other -fluid,' and a conduit 18 leads "from the upper wall thereof,

iv the conduit having a T-shaped upper end 14. A further object'is to pro.-

In one arm 15 of the T-shaped end I provide suitableqvalye mechanism 16 similar to that employed, in. pneumatic tires through which the air or fluid'may be conducted into the tankor container 12 under compression. Theeiid ofthe branch 15, which "is open, mayibe normally-closed by a-valve cap 17 similar to the .clos'ure commonly employed dor valve stems, of pneumatic tires. A sleeve -18 may be threaded over theother arm 19 -ot-=the T-shaped head "14:.

lVithin-the branch -or arm meclianismwlfi which normally prevents egress'of the'compressed air from the conhowever, hassa stem 21, which when depressed will cause an opening of the valve mechanism 20 and allow the air or other compressedfluid to pass-through the branch 1910i the shapediheadfiwhich is tubular, I provide suitable valvemechanism 20 similar to the -duit or pipe 13. This ivalve mechanism, -11" I L19. -In the outer end of the sleeve 18 I 51' mount for reciprocation a plunger 22 which uponits outerend .provided with an-opcrat ng head or button 23 and near its inner end Wltli acomcal va'lveelement or shoulder 24jwvhich co-operateswith a conical valveseat .at the junction between the inner end wall of the sl.eeveand the passage into the plunger which as mounted "for :IEBQlPI'OCfitlOIl.

The plunger :in the portion 25 withinthe passagein'the sleeve and immediately adjoining the conical portion "24 isireduced in diameter so that when the plunger is pushed it inwardlyto unseatthe conical portion 24, communication Wlll be established between "the interioroffithe sleevev and =the passage in i rocates at the point occupied byithe reduced portion 25 of theplunger so that when the plunger is pushed inwardly communication will be established between the interior of the sleeve and the branch passage.

The extreme inner endof the plunger is of smaller diameter than the base end-otthe conical portion 24. and carries a pair of washers or gaskets 27 and 28 which are of larger diameter than'the base end of the conical portion 24,' and which abut against the inner end wall of the sleeve when the conical portion is seated in the passage occupied by the plunger; A'shell 29 is fitted over the gasket 28 and has a reduced hollow end extending therefrom and terminating in close proximity to the outer endof the valve stem 21'. Thus when the plunger 22 is pushed inwardly the conical portion 24 will force the washers or gaskets 27 and 28 inwardly and "through them operate the shell 29 to depressthe valve stem 21 so that communication will'be established directly from the interior of the tank 12 to the branch passage '26 of the sleeve 18.

7 A helical spring 30 may be interposed under compression between the outer end of the brancharm 19 of the T-head' 14 and the shell" 29 so asnormally and yieldingly to hold the gaskets 27 and 28 against the end wall ofthe sleeve and preventcommunication withthe, passage in which the plunger reciprocates. ithin the tubular extension 29 and the extreme inner endof the plunger another cylindrical spring 31 is-interposed under compression-so that even after the gasket 27 is forced against the inner wall of the sleeve the spring 81 will further shift the plungert-o seat'the conical portion and provide a double closure for the passage in'which the plunger reciprocates. I i 1 v A lever arm 32 is pivoted at 33 for movement to carry the free end of the lever 32 into engagement with the button 23 of the plunger and by further movement force the plunger inwardly to open communication betweenthe tank 12 and the branch passage 26 of the sleeve 18. A suitable spring device34 may be provided for yieldingly forcing the lever arm 32 in adirection to ,force the plunger inwardly when the lever arm is released. A detent arm 35 is carried bythe lever arm 32 and rests upon the shoulder 36 of an arniature 37,'the latterbeing pivoted I at 38 formovement in a direction'to withdraw the shoulder from the end of the detent arm 35. When this release or withdrawal is efiected the lever arm 32 will be released. to efi'eot an opening of the valve mechanism in the sleeve 18. The armature A conduit 41', normally a continuation of r the passage26 (see Fig. 2) leads to the exterior of the shop at thc front and carries at its outer end a police whistle or other fluid operated device 42., lVithin the conduit 41 a transversely reciprocating valve element 43 is provided, the passage ist of the valve element being arranged to continue the commu- 'nication between the passage 26 and the conduit when the valve element is in one operative position. A helical spring in a tubular enlargement 46 of the conduit i1 surrounds a stem 47 of the valve element and by reason of its compression between the end of the tubular extensioneii and the. shoulder of the valve element serves to force the valve e element in a direction to'carry the bore' l4.

into alignment with the pas age 26. Nuts 1-8 upon the end'o t the stem 4L7 which pro ects through the tubular extension 46 limit this 50 which opens laterally from the valve element at apoint such'that when the valve element is shifted inwardlyto shut off communication with the conduit 41 it will move .into alignment with the passage 26.

battery or other source of current 51 is provided at any suitable part of the shop and from this battery a wire 52 leads to a plurality of push buttons or other switches 53 Which are connected in parallel to one another and provided at various suitable points around the interior of the store or business place at points convenient for operation. preferably at such heights that they maybe operated into closed position by the backing of a person into the same. i

The wire 52 is also connected by a wire 54 to a contact arm 55 carried by the handle 4-9 of the valve element 43 for movement into engagement with acontact spring 56 wheneverthe valve element is operated to shut off communication with the conduit 41 leading to the police whistle and connect the passage 26 to the passage 50 in the valve element. A second contact spring 57 is mounted in the path of a contact arm 58. Contact arm 58 is carried by the valve element through an insulating bushing 59 and will engage the spring 57 at the same time that the contact arm 55 engages with the spring 56. Another spring contact 60 is arranged to be engaged by the contact arm 58 at the same time that the spring 57 is engaged and as a result the arm 58 will serve to bridge these two spring contacts 57 and 60.

When the valve element 43 is in its normovement of the valve element under the 1- 'agoswsee anvil ;position shown in Fig. '12 the contact :arm 58 will engage with a bridge 2 spring con- "ftactsfil and 62, this bridging engagement #being broken as :soon as the valve element is operated to shut olf communication be tween ithe :pas'sageQG :and the police whistle through conduit 41. The springs and 62 are connected together by 'a wire 63 and through it ate :a binding "post 64 (see Eigs. 52 fandi3) leading to one side of the electroe magnet 40; for instance, see Fig. 3. The other terminal of :the electr c-magnet 40 has its binding post 65 (see Fig. 2) which isconv:nectedfby Wire66 to the other'sidesofall of,

= ftherswit'ches 53and also to the springcontaot '56. "The contactfspring161 is connected by "a wire 16!?10 a cartridge exploding device 68 show-n igenerally i'n 2 and in detail in iEig.*I4,*-the cartridge exploding device also lheing connected bysa 'wire '69 :to the other sicle of&tl1e?batter y.' A wire 7 0 :also iconneots ath'eavlire -69 to the spring contact 57. The

I operation ofthe circuits thusdescribed will be explained later. The cartridge exploding device 68 is ena closed Within/a lho'using having a :cover 7 1.

WVithin :thehousing the blank cartridge 72 is zsuzpportedin Ya suitable Well 73 with its head 74 within the :pa'thof-a hammer, point 75 that as provided upon the end of the FlIHIUIHGI lever 7 6. The lever 7*6 is pi-vo'ted at 477 :so that when released it will fall by egravity 'andcassisted lby xthe spring 178 so as to dniveftheapoint'fl5 against'the cartridge "head .74 and explode :the cartridge; The

-lever .7.6 :is mormally "held in its alpper inoperative position *by :an auxiliary lever 79' I spivotedfiat 80 and the lever 79 is held in upper position-by a detent lever 81 "which is pivoted at 82 The lower 'endo'f-the lever f 81 is :provide'davith an armature 83 which may the-"acted upon by a magnet '84; so that when "the magnet is energized the lever 8'l Will :be removed :from its propping engagemerit with the auxiliary lever '79. A mag.-

net 84 .is connected to the Wires 67 :and 69 shown diagrammatically :in Fig. '2 "and" shereinbefore Y explained. YVithi-n the path of lth'e lever 32 which operates the plunger 22 I -provide a flasher switch 85. This ifiasher switch is controlled or rendered operative by a spring retracted pin or plungerf86 which is "engaged 'and operated the lever 532 "when ?the lever 22 is released to actuate the plunger. {Circuit wires 87 and 88 lead Ifrom the plunger to a suitable :source of current, one of the wiressuch as 87 including therein 'a' suitable electric light 89 which is disposed outsideof the shop 'ctront as :shownz'in Figi :1 anddiagrammatically in 2. WVhen the va1ve mechanism from the :Itank 12 is :operated to cause an actuation oftthe whistle the light 89 will be simultaneeusly lighted and flashed by means iof :the flasher.

The valvetmechanism leading from the tank 12 and the magnet 40 and parts controlled thereby may be enclosed by a -suitable dome 90 which fits over the upper end of the tank 12, andachain 91 connected-at oneend to :the lever 32 passes through an aperture 92 in the dome 90and through an aperture 93 in a housing wall surrounding the tankso as to "be accessible for ma-nipu- I lation to Withdraw the lever until the detent arm35 is again latched in its upper position upon the shoulder of the armature37.

I Lin-the operation or use of the device it is assembled in the manner illustrated andthe switches are arranged at convenient points around the shop so as to beeither manuallyoperatedby ones hands or feet, or

preferably :at suitable elevations Where one may back into the same when confronted b-y a bandit. In the event of a hold-up the salesman 'may back into or operate oneof the switches 53, which Will close the circuit firom the lmtter-y chamber traced as follows:

t-rem the battery 51 through Wire 52 switch 53, wire'66, magnet 40, wvire 63 spring con-- tact ,62, contact arn'i 58, contact spring 61,- I

wire 67, cartridge exploding device 68, Wire :69, "back to batterv. When this circuit is completed :the cartridge exploding device will be operated to cause an explosion of the cartridge by reason of the withdrawalfof the lever 81, thus permitting the fall of the lnrn'nncrpoint 7 5. At the same time the magnet 40 will Withdraw the armature '37 s {to release the detent arm ,75, and theflever '32 "lll1dC1' the action ot t'he spring 34 will thereupon operate the plunger '22 to open the i valve mechanism 20 and the valve mechanism provided in the interior of the sleeve enlng-o fthe bandit, "s0 disconcerting or un- -nerving him that he Will probably Withdraw Without proceeding further with the hold- 211p; but in the event that such is not "the case,-the signal Will of course continue and summon the policemans aid. a "At the same time that the lever 32 moves to startithe operation of the police Whistle.

it Will also engage the plunger pin 86 and I cause an illumination and flashing of the i light 89 on the front of the shop-bv reason I of the action-of the flasher 85. This flashing of the light 89 Will, indicate toft-he policeman hastening to the aid of the shopkeeper the exact location of the hold-up,

which will avoid delay in the arrival er cinity of the store.

police. assistance. hen help has arrived and the operation of the signal system is no longer desired,-itis necessary merely to pull the chain 91,,Which \villby-its release of the plunger 22 allow the valve mechanism to re turn to normal position *and shut off the supply of compressed air toSthe Whistle. At the same-time the plunger 86 of the flasher device will be released so as to shut off the light .89.

.In order that the device maybe tested from time to time to insure its working C011? dition, it is necessary only to ascertain the Working condition by shifting the valveclement 43 against the action of the spring45. This will shut oi the, supply of fluid to the police whistle and\v-ill'connect-the branch passage ito the passage 26. During "this movement of the f valve elnnent .43 the contact arm will be'carr-ied into engagement 'with'the contact spring 56 to close a circuit between the wires 5% and 66 which are in parallel with the switches 53, thereby initiating the operation of the mechanism. However, at the initial movement of the valve element andbefore the arm engages the spring 56 to initiate the movement, the contact arm 58 willmove from its bridging engagement between thecontact springs 61 and '62 p and open the circuit between the cartridge explodingvdevice and the wire 63. d henthe valve elementhas beenshifted' to its extreme ,test position the contact arm 58 bridges the contact springs 57 and at the same time that" the contact arms 55 engages contact spring 56 to initiate theala'rm operation. The arm 58 thus connects the wire 63 to the wire 70, which completes the circuit back to the battery without passingthrough the cartridge exploding d (EVICG, the latter circuit having been opened at thecontact spring 61. During this operation the light 89 will flash as before and the compressed air will pass through the passage 50 and by its rush indicate that itis in proper operating condition;the bore 44 of the valve element 43 be ing out of alignment with the passage 26, the

police whistle of course will not be operated.

After the valve element has been released, or

simultaneously with the release, the chain 91 maybe pulled'to restore the control lever 32 to. normal position. 7

It will be observed from the foregoing that a very effective and. practical alarm system has been devised and that its operativc condition may be determined at any time without causing excitement in the vi- By ren'ioving the cap 17 an air pump may beconnected to the T-head '14: and a supply of compressedair placed in the tank 12 ready for use whenever desired. 7

,lVliile the switches 53 have been illustrated as manually operated switches, it will be understood that if desired they may be controlledbye-thermostat or fusible plug, so that in the event of fire in the premises, the switch may be operated by the increase of temperature in said premises to summon aid of the fire department.

device, said valve having. avprojecting operating stem, electromagnetically controlled means for operating the valve to open :position, an electric light, an explosion device, means for controlling thej explosion device, said, light being controlledby electromagnetically controlled means a master circuit for controlling. the explosion devicecontrolling meansand said electromagnetically controlled means, asecond valve in theEcon'duit between the audible signal device and the otherjvalve and spring pressed to open 'positic-n, the movablemember of the secondvalve havinga bypass conduit movable into com- .munication withthe container through the first valvewhen' it shutsfoft communication from the container to the audible signal device; and means operable by the second valve when moved to cut ofithe audible signal device for changing the condition of the master circuit to cause an operationof the first valve and light and placing the exploding controlling means ma condition to prevent operation of the exploding device whereby the operativeness of the :device may be readily determined without-operation of the andible signal device or said explosion device.

2.1n an alarm system forthe protection of buildings, a container for a, compressed fluid, an audible signal device operable by compressed air, a conduit connecting said device and container'and having therein a valve, normally spring pressed into closed position to prevent operation of the signal device, said valve having a projecting operating stem,- electromagnetically' controlled means for operating the valveto open position, an electric light, an explosion device, means for controlling the explosion device, said light being controlled by electromagnetically controlled means, a master circuit for controlling the explosion device controlling means and said electromagnetically controlled means, a second valve in the conduit between the audible signal device and the other valve and spring pressed to open po sition, the movable member of the second valve having a' by-pass conduit movable into communication with the container through the first valve when it shuts communica tion from the container to the audible signal dev1oe, means operable by the second valve when moved to cut off the audible sigmil device for changing thecondition of the master circuit to cause an operation of the "first valve and light and placing the exploding controlhng means in a condition to prevent operation of the exploding device Whenever cessation of operation of the aud- 2 ible signal and extinguishment of the light are desired.

Intestimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

SAMUEL 'soLonAR. 

